Battle of the Somme, a map showing the situation in July and August 1916

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English

Compared with the advances made by the Allied attack upon the German front line in July 1916, this update on the progress of the Somme offensive during August shows them to be comparatively meagre.

The attritional nature of the offensive is relayed through the compacted blue (French) and red (British and dominion) lines measuring positions every seven days. These positions, subject to German counterattacks, have in some cases not moved at all.

Archivist and Curator Laura Walker compares and contrasts the historical responses to Sir Douglas Haig, a controversial figure who led the Somme and Passchendaele offensives and under whose leadership the war was won.